Ax-wedge



j. W. LANDQUIST. AX WEDGE.

APPLICATION FILEDJULY2G.1918.

LSQ, Paelted Dec, 2L 1929,

iilarrul). STATES Ararr-ur OFFICE.

JULIUS W. LANDQUIST, OF WOODLAND, CALIFORNIA.

AX-wnnen.'

Application filed July 26 To all who/m t may concern:

`Be it known that I, JULIUs W. LAND- QUrsT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Woodland, in the county of Yolo and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AX- VVedges, of which the following is a specil fication.

rI`his invention relates to wedges for holding the heads of tools upon the handles thereof and has for its object the production of Va simple and eiiicient wedge which may belvery easily inserted through the outer end of the tool handle.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and eflicientV wedge which will firmly engage the tool head and also firmly bite into the handle of the tool for preventing the tool head from becoming accidentally detached from the handle.

'With these and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel con structions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a tool head secured upon the handle vby means of the improved wedge,

F ig. 2 is an end view of a tool head mounted upon a tool handle,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of a tool head and handle, showing the wedge about to be inserted in position. 4

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that 1 designates the handle of the tool upon which is mounted a head 2. The head 2 is provided with a tapering notch 3 formed upon the inner edge of the handle receivin aperture 4 and this notch 3 is substantially square in cross section for the purpose of receiving the upwardly inclined rib portion 5 of the wedge 6, it being noted that the top edge of the aperture 4 and the notch 3 conform to the shape of the wedge 6. The wedge 6 is provided with a straight side edge 7 which terminates at its outer end in the upwardly inclined rib 5 and the opposite edge 8 of the wedge is curved and merges into the straight edge 7 at the inner end of the wedge for producin a tapering point. The wedge 6 is provide with a fiat or straight outer end 9 for the purpose of facilitating the insertion of the wedge 6 into the handle 1. It should be understood7 as shown in Fig. 1, that the rib 5 of the Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

-, 1918. Serial No. 246,926.

wedge G'has a straight edge 5 which is ini clined downwardly toward the straight edge 7, thus forming an angular portion at their point of junction, andthe notch 3 is so formed as to conform to the shape lor inclined edge 5 of the rib 5..V

It of course should be understood thatv the wedge 6 is preferably formed of metal and may be used for securing the head of any suitable tool in engagement with a supporting handle.`

Although there is illustrated an ax head secured to the handle 1, a hammer or other suitable tool head may be secured to .the handle by means of the improved wedge.

When inserting the wedge 6in the end of the handle 1, the wedge travels between the lines AHB and C-D indicated in Fig. 1, until it has reached the point indicated by the dotted line structure, a distance about one half the length of the straight edge 7, at which time, the ribbed portion 5 of the wedge is brought into contact with the tapering notch 3 so that as the wedge is driven farther into the handle, the entrance of the rib 5 into the notch causes the point of the wedge to penetrate in a forwardly and upward direction, while the lower edge of the rib is forced downwardly into the outer end of the handle, in proportion to the upward travel of the penetrating point; the arcuate edge 8 tending to swing the entire wedge in an arc below the point 4 of Fig. 1, the innermost edge of the notch 3 constituting the fulcrum point. As the wedge is driven farther in between the ax head and the handle, the pointed penetrating edge 7 tends to bite into and separate the fibers of the handle portion lodged there above permitting the edge 7 to be brought into position against the wall 4 during the the gradual and continual crowding of the outer end of the handle, indicated at l() in F ig. 1, this crowding being effected by the curved lower edge 8 as the rib is forced into the notch. The wedge, therefore, cuts its own path way through the handle for loclr ing the wedge 6 in the wooden handle 1 and preventing the same from moving or creeping outwardly. It will thus be seen that the wedge practically bruises its way into the handle so as to compress and separate the fibers in a manner causing them to react against the wedge and by reason of their adhesion thereto to cause the same to be more firmly embedded therein. The

notch 3 not only acts as a guide for holding the Wedge 6 to a true course, but also constitutes an inclined `plane which determines the angle at which the wedge is started into` the handle 1.

The engagement between the handle and "combination of a head having an inclined notch extending thereinto from one; side edge and a handle receiving aperture eX- tending vthereinto from its opposite side edge, said notch and,aperturecommunicat- `ngwithueach other, a handle inserted into said aperture, and a wedge Jformed from a single piece of material comprising an elongated substantiallyk flat` structure, said wedge having one edge thereof curved in `the rarc ofacircle throughout the entire length of the Wedge, the opposite edge of said Wedge having a straight portion from which extends an inclined edge at an oblique angle,thus forming an angle at the junction oir' the straight edges, and said wedge having a pointed inner end and :1 flat outer end, thus permitting the same to be driven into said handle and to t within saidnotch andv said aperture, the straight edges of said wedge conforming to the shape of the top of the aperture and said notch, whereby. the wedge will crowd the handle directly therebeneath, although the handle upon each side portion of the wedge will be lei't intact, thus causing the wedge to be firmly held by the handle and to be jammed in .abinding engagement with the head, whereby the head TNill be firmly heldv upon said handle. i

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.`

J ULIUS W. LANDQUIS'I.

Witnesses:

ECHO I. BURNS, Ror F. GALT. 

